BOTOX® Isn’t Just for Women. Here’s Why.

Summary: BOTOX use is steadily beginning to rise for men as they continue to value their physical appearance more and more. Although the effects of aging is generally more accepted and generous to men than their female counterparts, the overall lack of effort men put toward their skin care has them aging at a faster and more severe rate than they would like. Although physical aging doesn’t discriminate based on gender, marketing for anti-aging products has traditionally set its sights on women. But why? According to annual statistics released by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 350,000 BOTOX Cosmetic procedures were performed on men in 2013, just over 10% of the total number of procedures performed in the United States. As BOTOX becomes more of a fixture in the landscape of aesthetic medicine — and as it becomes more socially acceptable for men to prioritize their appearances — that number is expected to rise steadily. Although BOTOX was approved for cosmetic use by the FDA in 2002, its active ingredient, botulinum toxin, was developed to treat medical conditions in the 1960s. Before it was smoothing wrinkles, BOTOX was being used to treat everything from twitchy eyelids to excessive sweating. In addition to its cosmetic indications, botulinum toxin, a neurotoxin which temporarily relaxes muscles, is used to treat a wealth of conditions, including chronic migraine and cervical dystonia, a neurological disorder that affects movement. Many more additional uses are being researched. BOTOX Cosmetic has been extensively evaluated in male patients, and its effects are just as striking as they are in women. Today, the drug is officially approved to treat crow’s feet and glabellar lines (vertical lines that form between the eyebrows), which are wrinkles caused by repetitive facial movement. The severity of these lines is often compounded by poor skin care habits such as not wearing sunscreen, which many men admit they are guilty of. In addition to increasing the risk of skin cancer and enlarging pores, long-term unprotected sun exposure breaks down skin’s support structures, leading to earlier and more prominent signs of aging. In men, a bit of physical aging is often thought of as a good thing. A “touch of gray” can give people an impression of sophistication, maturity, and wisdom — desirable traits at work or in the dating scene. But premature or excessive aging can be just as troubling to men as it is to their female counterparts, and the social stigma against plastic surgery often prevents many men from pursuing more invasive measures, such as a facelift. BOTOX Cosmetic is great middle ground between letting nature take its course and undergoing cosmetic surgery. It is a quick injectable treatment that yields results gradually over the course of several days. Each treatment typically lasts less than an hour, according to the BOTOX page of the Scottsdale Skin Institute’s website. Once the results of BOTOX Cosmetic appear, most men are pleased with the subtle improvement they bring. The lines of the upper face are significantly reduced, lending an age-appropriate, refreshed appearance. The “frozen” look made famous by certain celebrities is typically the result of a heavy-handed, inexperienced provider — not the product itself. Selecting the right practitioner, such as a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist, can go a long way toward ensuring your final look is natural and discreet while still being noticeable. With no time off work necessary and no significant side effects, BOTOX Cosmetic is well on the road to establishing itself among men as a simple option for cosmetic enhancement.